Christmas Angel Giving 2009

Six different organizations were selected to receive donations this year. You may decide which ones receive your charitable donation, or you may let the Missions Committee decide for you.

The Billy Hamilton Scholarship Billy was a long-time member of our church who passed away in 2007. A group of Billy's classmates from Groton High School have organized a scholarship fund in his memory, which plans to award $1,000 to two Groton-Dunstable students in 2010. They hope to grow the Billy Hamilton Scholarship Fund so that in the future two students from Groton-Dunstable and North Middlesex can be awarded scholarships each year.

Groton Habitat for Humanity built a house in Groton in 2004. A second house lot in Groton has been donated to Habitat and a local group has been meeting to plan the project, including the development of building plans. However, before ground can be broken, the committee needs to raise $125,000 for materials to build the house. Please consider donating to this worthwhile endeavor. For more information about our local Habitat affiliate, go to www.ncmhabitat.org

Heifer Project International's organizing principles are deeply rooted in Christian ideals, but does not proselytize, so teams are welcome everywhere. Heifer teams work with people to develop goals, new attitudes toward each other and the earth, and determine the means to attain their goals. One project in Massachusetts helps newcomers to the United States learn to start farms, locate outlets for their flowers or produce, and become self sufficient, productive citizens. www.heifer.org

Hasi Fund Hasi, who lives with Liz Smith and family in Groton, travels back and forth from Sri Lanka to the U.S. for burn injury treatments at Shriner’s Hospital. When she is in the U.S., Hasi brings energy and enthusiasm to our church unit and keeps her Sunday school friends smiling. This fund helps to defray travel expenses and extracurricular activities for Hasi.

Loaves and Fishes is a mission of love and faith that serves the people of Ayer, Devens, Groton, Harvard, Littleton, and Shirley by providing food, emergency shelter, resource referral, and other temporary services, and by advocating for changes by its clients that will promote independence and self-reliance. www.devenspantry.org

Nursing Students Without Borders (NSWB) is a student nursing organization at UMass Lowell that will be traveling to Ghana Africa. Last year 11 nursing students and two adults spent 3 weeks working in rural health clinics and orphanages. The area visited has many health care needs that stem from poor nutrition, poor sanitation, poverty, and lack of access to nurses and other health care providers. The UML nursing students brought 20 large boxes of medical supplies that were donated by people and health care facilities in Massachusetts and NH. For photos, go to http://www.uml.edu/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=15853